Moving to OWL 1

[krispysky]

Well, I'm officially moving on to OWL rung 1...although I'm usually stuffed with the amount I already do eat and only manage about 17 carbs per day average. I guess I can throw some extra tomatoes on my salad now.

[liv]

Re: Moving to OWL 1

You're not supposed to eat more food on OWL. When you add in more carbs you will lower your fat amount - and also perhaps your protein (because as you get smaller you need to eat less)

[krispysky]

Re: Moving to OWL 1

Well, yeah, that makes sense!

[stacy3477]

Re: Moving to OWL 1

Welcome! Congrats on the success so far!

[msanjelpie]

Re: Moving to OWL 1

You're not supposed to eat more food on OWL.

Huh?

[liv]

Re: Moving to OWL 1

Huh right back at yah
What are you wondering about?? I am a bad mind reader.

[Georgiana]

Re: Moving to OWL 1

Well, I'm officially moving on to OWL rung 1...although I'm usually stuffed with the amount I already do eat and only manage about 17 carbs per day average. I guess I can throw some extra tomatoes on my salad now.

There is a thread with ideas on how to eat more veggies on OWL without eating an enormous volume of food: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...ables-owl.html

[neutronnorman]

Re: Moving to OWL 1

Yup, I'm moving on to OWL. I'm pretty close to my personal goal (10-12 % bodyfat). I figure I have about 10-15 lb to lose. I'm 5'11" tall and now weigh ~ 200 lb.

[not2late]

Re: Moving to OWL 1

Yup, I'm moving on to OWL. I'm pretty close to my personal goal (10-12 % bodyfat). I figure I have about 10-15 lb to lose. I'm 5'11" tall and now weigh ~ 200 lb.

Dr. ATkins said to move to Pre-Maintenance Phase when you have 5-10 pounds left to lose, Norman. 9 Rungs and 10 pounds before going to Pre-Maintenance is cutting it rather close.

Re: the amount of food on OWL

Typically, the volume of food decreases as you move up the OWL carb ladder. 5 net carbs is about 5-10 cups of lettuce. But 5 net carbs is also 1 tablespoon of cornmeal. And so, you might use the cornmeal as a part of a dish rather than eating it as a main course, like you would 10 cups of lettuce.

[neutronnorman]

Re: Moving to OWL 1

Now I'm confused. If I go on pre-maintenance I'll probably get the biggest glycogen load I've had in weeks. I'll gain 10-11 lb overnight. I know it's glycogen and water, I know the numerical ratio, but Megs it is uncomfortable. I haven't done any carbs over 20 per day in weeks. I'll super over-compensate with the glycogen repletion and pump up like a balloon.
I'll be sleeping for 2 days.

Cheez....I really know how to screw up a good thing at times.. How can I gauge what foods and / or amounts of daily carbs I can eat without laying down fat? If I do an accelerated up the rungs OWL thing, I won't be able to accuratley measure the amount of carbs that I need on a daily basis.

[msanjelpie]

Re: Moving to OWL 1

Re: the amount of food on OWL

Typically, the volume of food decreases as you move up the OWL carb ladder. 5 net carbs is about 5-10 cups of lettuce. But 5 net carbs is also 1 tablespoon of cornmeal. And so, you might use the cornmeal as a part of a dish rather than eating it as a main course, like you would 10 cups of lettuce.

Oh I see... Tonight I had corn for the first time and I had about 3 tablespoons to equal the 5 carbs... I also see I can have 5 grapes, whoo hoo~!

So I understand now...

[not2late]

Re: Moving to OWL 1

Oh I see... Tonight I had corn for the first time and I had about 3 tablespoons to equal the 5 carbs... I also see I can have 5 grapes, whoo hoo~!

So I understand now...

When you reach those Rungs and see how much a difference 5 net carbs of grains or 5 grapes can make to your menue, you'll stop mocking the 5 net carb or 10 net carb amounts. Until then you won't understand how liberating it is to be able to have chicken soup with rice or have a flour-thickened gravy or even have a few slices of fresh peaches on your plate---without having to rationalize to yourself "I'm okay with this cheat. I'll just go back to Induction for the next 3 months and I'll be okay with my weight loss" because when you legally incorporate these amounts, it's not cheating on Atkins.

Editing to add....

We have to remember that the entire Atkins process is to not only lose weight but also develop healthier eating habits. Pre-Atkins, if someone told me that I can only eat 1-2 cups of popcorn per day, I would have thought they were crazy because I could eat 1 or 2 cups of popcorn in my first handful. But Pre-Atkins, I was a big as a whale and it was due in part to my lousy eating habits. Now, I'm nowhere near whale size and 1-2 cups of popcorn is filling. Which confirms that normal weight people eat normal sized portions 1 cup of popcorn, by the way, is approximately 5 net carbs.

A couple of tablespoons of corn kernels sprinkled on a fajita is very tasty. So is using a tablespoon or two of cornmeal to help thicken a chili, as is traditionally done in Mexican cooking. For that matter 5 grapes sliced and tossed with a jicama-Waldorf salad is very satisfying too.

But until you get there, you won't understand that 5 net carbs of foods make a big difference in your meals.

[msanjelpie]

Re: Moving to OWL 1

I wasn't mocking... but reading back what I wrote I guess it could sound like that... I treasure my 5 grapes... and I really appreciate your entire post, it makes more sense now when I think of adding foods together...